# Agricultural drone spraying rules in Portugal > What you need to spray crops with a drone in Portugal: legal status, authorities, permits, requirements and operating limits, with links to the official sources. - Canonical URL: https://pulvecast.com/spray-drone-rules/portugal - Language: en - Last updated: 2026-09-18 - Path: Home › Drone spraying rules by country › Agricultural drone spraying rules in Portugal - Site guide for agents: https://pulvecast.com/llms.txt ## Legal status **Not allowed.** Prohibited. Aerial application of plant protection products is banned under Law 26/2013 (art. 34). DGAV states that drone applications cannot be carried out under the current legal framework, because the aerial-application derogations in the law do not apply to drones. ## Who regulates it - **Agriculture:** [Directorate-General for Food and Veterinary Affairs (DGAV)](https://www.dgav.pt/medicamentos/conteudo/produtos-fitofarmaceuticos/uso-sustentavel-dos-produtos-fitofarmaceuticos/) - **Aviation:** [National Civil Aviation Authority (ANAC)](https://www.anac.pt/vPT/Generico/drones/Paginas/AeronavesCivisPilotadasRemotamente.aspx) ## Legal basis - [Lei n.º 26/2013, de 11 de abril (arts. 15(2) and 34)](https://files.diariodarepublica.pt/1s/2013/04/07100/0210002125.pdf): Rules for the sale and use of plant protection products. Bans aerial application; its derogation regime (chapter VI) was written for manned aircraft such as aeroplanes and helicopters. - [DGAV Technical Clarification No. 7/DGAV/2018 (2 August 2018)](https://www.dgav.pt/medicamentos/conteudo/produtos-fitofarmaceuticos/uso-sustentavel-dos-produtos-fitofarmaceuticos/): DGAV's position on unmanned aircraft: drones are aircraft, so the general ban applies, and drone applications cannot be carried out under the current framework. - [Directive 2009/128/EC, art. 9](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dir/2009/128/oj): EU ban on aerial spraying of pesticides, with national derogations under strict conditions. - [Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/947](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg_impl/2019/947/oj): EU rules for drone operations, applied in Portugal by ANAC. ## What you need - There is no authorisation route for applying plant protection products by drone. DGAV aerial-application permits and plans (PAA) do not cover drones. ([dgav.pt](https://www.dgav.pt/medicamentos/conteudo/produtos-fitofarmaceuticos/uso-sustentavel-dos-produtos-fitofarmaceuticos/)) - Any other drone work (mapping, monitoring) must follow the EU drone rules: operator registration and, outside the open category, an ANAC operational authorisation. ([anac.pt](https://www.anac.pt/vPT/Generico/drones/Paginas/AeronavesCivisPilotadasRemotamente.aspx)) ## How to get authorised 1. Do not spray plant protection products by drone. Use ground application under Law 26/2013. ([dgav.pt](https://www.dgav.pt/medicamentos/conteudo/produtos-fitofarmaceuticos/uso-sustentavel-dos-produtos-fitofarmaceuticos/)) 2. Follow DGAV news: a national working group led by DGAV is preparing the ground for drone use once the law changes. ([dgav.pt](https://www.dgav.pt/destaques/noticias/uso-de-drones-na-aplicacao-de-produtos-fitofarmaceuticos/)) ## Good to know - In December 2024 Portugal took a declaration to the EU Agriculture Council asking for EU rules on drone spraying; according to DGAV, 14 Member States backed it. - An EU proposal of December 2025 (COM(2025) 1021) would let Member States exempt some drone types from the aerial-spraying ban. It is still under discussion and does not apply yet. > Checked against official sources on 2026-09-18. Rules change: confirm with the authorities before operating. This page is a planning summary, not legal advice. 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